#got a terminal case of the brain worms

[james-p-sullivan]

Rebound AU part 1

Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie! (A Man After Midnight) - Part 1 of @blackstarchanx3new’s Rebound AU

Rating: Explicit (18+)

Words: 17,194

Pairings: Vio/Green, Vio/Shadow (past), Blue/Red

Summary: Vio struggles with everything that he's done, but luckily Green is there to lend a helping hand.

[thelittlesttimelord]

The Littlest Timelord: The New Doctor Chapter 14

TITLE: The Littlest Timelord: The New Doctor Chapter 14 PAIRING: No Pairing RATING: T CHAPTER: 14/? SUMMARY: With the Doctor newly regenerated, he and Elise must now navigate their new relationship. The Doctor is an old man and Elise is a headstrong young woman. She is no longer the scared little girl the Doctor saved all those years ago. Will Clara be able to keep them from killing each other?

Clara was clearly getting ready for another date when Elise and the Doctor arrived.

The Doctor was watching her laundry spinning in the washing machine while Clara checked her makeup.

“The Satanic Nebula,” the Doctor suggested. He stared at her goldfish. “Or the lagoon of lost stars. Or we could go to Brighton. I've got a whole day worked out.”

“Sorry, but as you can see, I've got plans.” Clara gestured to her outfit.

“Have you?”

“Look at me.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“No, no, no. No. Look at me.” Clara flipped her hair.

“Yep, looking.”

“Seriously?”

“I think you look beautiful,” Elise told Clara.

“Thank you, Ellie.”

“Why is your face all colored in? Are you taller?” the Doctor asked.

Clara raised her foot. “Heels.”

“What, do you have to reach a high shelf?”

“Right, got to go. Going to be late.”

“For a shelf?”

“Bye.” Just as Clara was about to leave, the phone in the TARDIS started ringing. “There you go, you've got another playmate.”

“Hardly anyone in the universe has that number.”

“Well, I've got it.”

“Yes, from some woman in a shop. We still don't know who that was.”

“Is that her now?”

“There are very few people that it could be.”

“Maybe it’s Kate,” Elise suggested. It’d been a while since they’d seen the head of UNIT.

The Doctor reached out to answer it.

“Don't,” Clara said.

“Why not?” the Doctor asked.

“Because, if you answer it, something will happen.”

“What?”

“A thing”

“Huh. It's just a phone, Clara. Nothing happens when you answer the phone.” He picked up the receiver.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next thing they knew they were sitting at table, each holding a memory worm.

Clara and Elise screamed.

“Doctor?” Clara asked.

“Don't touch it.”

“Where are we? How did we get here?”

A man and a woman sat across from them at the table.

The man had half his head shaved with computer chips attached. “Who are you? Sorry, what's going on? I don't understand.”

The woman was dark skinned. Her cheeks transformed into the worm’s horns before fading. “Ah! What is that thing?”

“It's a memory worm,” the Doctor told her.

“What happened to your face?” Clara asked.

“Deletes your memories.”

“Did you see her face?”

“How did I get here?” the woman asked.

“The same way we all did, but we've all forgotten,” the Doctor said.

“And who are you?”

A metal case sat in the middle of the table. It played a recording.

“I am the Doctor, a Time Lord from Gallifrey. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will.”

“I am Clara Oswald, human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will. Do I really have to touch that worm thing?”

“Yes, you do. And change your shoes. Elise, you’re next.”

Elise heard herself sigh. “Do I really have to do this?”

“Yes.”

“This is a bad idea. Fine. I am Elise Smith, daughter of the Doctor and River Song. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will.”

“Okay, you're next, Psi.”

“I am Psi- augmented human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will.” Psi took a chip from his head and examined it.

“I am Saibra, mutant human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will.”

The case unlocked and a golden light shone from within. Two screens popped up. A golden K in a circle was shown on the screen before a hooded figure appeared.

“This is a recorded message. I am the Architect. Your last memory is of receiving a contact from an unknown agency. Me. Everything since has been erased from your minds. Now, pay close attention to this briefing.”

A planet appeared and zoomed in to show a bank. An advertisement started to play as the Architect spoke.

“This is the Bank of Karabraxos, the most secure bank in the galaxy. A fortress for the super-rich. If you can afford your own star system, this is where you keep it. No one sets foot on the planet without protocols. All movement is monitored, all air consumption regulated. DNA is authenticated at every stage. Intruders will be incinerated. Each vault, buried deep in the earth, is accessed by a drop-slot at the planet's surface. It's atomically sealed, an unbreakable lock. The atoms have all been scrambled. Your presence on this planet is unauthorized. A team will have been dispatched to terminate you.”

Someone banged on the door. “This is bank security. Open up.”

The video kept playing. “Your survival depends on following my instructions.”

“Open up and you shall be humanely disposed of.”

“There's another exit,” Saibra said.

“All the information you need is in this case,” the video said.

Psi took a chip from his head and plugged it into the case.

“What are you doing?” the Doctor asked.

“Downloading,” Psi told him.

“Ah. Augmented. Nice.”

“The Bank of Karabraxos is impregnable,” the video said.

The Doctor took a device from the case.

“Please stand away from the door. We do not wish to hurt you before incineration,” the guard ordered.

Elise rolled her eyes. How considerate.

“The Bank of Karabraxos has never been breached. You will rob the Bank of Karabraxos.”

Soon, the five of them were running down a corridor.

“Okay, okay, okay. Stop, stop, stop. Far enough,” the Doctor said, panting.

Can’t handle all the running, old man? Elise asked. She received an eyeroll in response.

“Augmented human. Computer augmented, yes? Mainframe in your head?”

“I'm a gamer. Sorry, who put you in charge?” Psi asked.

“You're a liar. That's a prison code on your neck.”

“I'm a hacker slash bank robber.”

“Good. This is a good day to be a bank robber. Mutant human. What kind of mutant?”

“Like he says, why are you in charge now?” Saibra asked.

“It's my special power. What's yours?”

Saibra sighed and took Clara’s hand. They watched as she transformed into Clara. When she let go, she was herself once again. “I touch living cells, I can replicate the owner.”

“Your face, when we first saw you...”

“I touched the worm.”

“You can replicate their clothes too?”

“I wear a hologram shell.”

“Like Christmas,” Elise said, even though only the Doctor and Clara knew what she was referencing.

The Doctor pulled out the object he took from the case. “Human cells. DNA from a customer, maybe? A disguise to get us in?”

“We're actually going to do it? Rob the bank?”

“I don't think we have a choice. We've already agreed to.”

Saibra sighed and touched her thumb to the object.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Elise had to admit that the bank was beautiful.

“How long can you maintain the image for?” the Doctor asked Saibra.

“For as long as I like.”

They entered the bank.

“Question one. Robbing banks is easy if you've got a TARDIS. So why am I not using it?” the Doctor asked.

“Question two, where is the TARDIS?” Clara countered.

“Okay, that probably should be question one.”

“Hopefully it’s not having a temper tantrum this time,” Elise said.

The Doctor turned to her. “At least we’re not stuck on a pirate ship with a murderous mermaid.”

An alarm started going off and security grills came down around all the exits. “Banking floor locking down.”

“They know we're here,” Saibra said.

“Banking floor locking down.”

A woman entered with two men dressed in suits. They walked up to a man with a briefcase.

A monster wearing an orange jumpsuit and a straight jacket entered. It had two eyestalks and was led by two armed guards.

Elise, instead of being scared, just felt sorry for the poor creature.

“What is that?” Saibra asked.

“I don't know. Hate not knowing,” the Doctor said.

“Excuse me, sir. I regret to say that your guilt has been detected,” the woman said.

“What? That, that's totally ridiculous,” the man said.

“Is it, sir? Well then, we will certainly double-check. The Teller will now scan your thoughts for any criminal intent. Good luck, sir.”

The man put down his briefcase.

“Interesting,” the Doctor said.

“What is?” Psi asked.

“The latest thing in sniffer dogs. Telepathic. It hunts guilt.”

The creature emitted a high-pitched noise that caused the man to grab his head in pain.

“What about our guilt?” Clara asked.

“Currently being drowned out,” the Doctor told her.

“What's he doing?”

“If he has a plan, he's trying not to think of it.”

“Ever tried not thinking about something?” Psi asked.

“No,” Clara said.

“You may have to,” Saibra said.

The creature roared.

“Ah, criminal intent detected. How naughty. What was your plan? Counterfeit currency in your briefcase, perhaps?” the woman asked.

“No, not at all. For God's sake,” the man said.

“It doesn't really matter, we'll establish the details later. The Teller is never wrong when it comes to guilt. Your account will now be deleted, and obviously your mind. Suppertime.”

The armored guards held onto the creature’s chains as it moved closer to the customer. It’s eyestalks came together and a ray was focused on the man’s head.

“It's wiping his mind. Turning his brain into soup,” the Doctor explained.

Elise felt tears well up in her eyes.

“Your next of kin will be informed, and incarcerated, as further inducement to honest financial transactions,” the woman said.

The man started screaming.

“We've got to help him,” Clara said.

“He's gone already. It's over,” the Doctor told her.

“He's in agony, look at him.”

“Those aren't tears, Clara. That's soup.”

The creature pulled it’s eyestalks apart.

The man stopped screaming and one of the suited men caught him. The front of his head was caved in.

“Account closed. Take him away. He's ready for his close-up. Apologies for the disturbance. Everyone have a lovely day.”

Elise was right. This was a very bad idea.

[gayliteraryanalysis]

bestie help ive got a case of gay angel brain worms it’s terminal @transingallthegenders

[jokertrap-ran]

(未定事件簿) EVENT! 「消失的黄金」 [Tears of Themis] EVENT: The Lost Gold Translations (Mo Yi Chapter 2-02: Forest Camp)

“Who are you, to bring up ‘Professional Ethics’ with me? ”

*Tears of Themis Masterlist is under construction. *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *(y/n) is your name when in direct referral; otherwise referred to as MC. *Can someone shoot me to sleep bc its 6am rn

Location: Forest Camp

Just like Mo Yi had deduced, Wang Xian appeared shortly after we reached the Forest Camp.

Wang Xian: What a coincidence, Doctor Mo. We meet again.

Wang Xian: I had explicitly thought that the next time we saw each other again, ever since the exchange we had on the Ship, would be back in Stellis City.

Mo Yi: Looks like you really don't want to see me here, Doctor Wang.

Wang Xian: I came here for a holiday, so it feels a little off-putting to be bumping into my Psychiatrist, of all people.

Wang Xian: But I suppose this is fated, in a way. How about we share our Treasure Clues that we found on the way here?

He pretended to open his backpack, as if to take out the items he collected during the Event.

Mo Yi: You're actually playing the game seriously; that's beyond my expectation.

Mo Yi: But if that's the case, why aren't you working together with that assistant of yours?

Wang Xian: I'm his boss, so he should consider himself lucky that I even brought him here to Nosta Island for a Vacation; but to be together with him for the entire duration of the trip is a little…

Wang Xian: I'm afraid that would be alone to torture, for him.

Wang Xian: Besides, the Event Organizer did say that anything found will belong to the finder.

Mo Yi: Wang Xian, I am your Psychiatrist. Don't you think you're trying too hard to act generous and considerate in front of me?

Wang Xian: What are you trying to say, Dr. Mo?

Mo Yi: Have you forgotten about your nickname among the Prisoners, "Black-handed Wang"?

Wang Xian: Mo Yi, you—!

MC: "Black-handed Wang"? What does that mean?

Mo Yi: He's someone who often goes in and out of Prison. And he'll always help the Prisoners by bringing in some Contrabands, like Cigarettes, for example.

Mo Yi: The rate he asks from the Prisoners is oftentimes twice or thrice the time of the goods' original value. That's why he's known as "Black-handed Wang"

Mo Yi relentlessly exposed Wang Xian's own can of worms.

Judging from this, he had absolutely no intentions to play nice with Wang Xian right from the start.

Wang Xian: Dr. Mo, isn't this considered leaking your Patient's Privacy? What poor Professional Ethics you have.

Mo Yi: You're a Lawbreaker right now, not my Patient.

Mo Yi: Also, who are you, to bring up "Professional Ethics" with me?

Mo Yi: Why don't you first tell me what your assistant, pseudonym Cao Zhong, Real name Dong Hechuan, has gone off to do?

Wang Xian: Who's Dong Hechuan? ...I don't know him!

MC: You're only recently applied for Dong Hechuan's Commutation, and you say you don't know who he is?

Wang Xian's panic was blatantly obvious, now that Dong Hechuan's identity had been exposed.

Mo Yi: The reason why Dong Hechuan's commutation was approved was because he made important contributions to your Academic Papers, published in A-level journals.

Mo Yi: If you can even forget about someone like him, then I suggest you go to the Neurological Department and get that brain of yours checked.

Wang Xian: I really can't put anything past you, Dr. Mo.

Wang Xian: I'd heard before that you were regarded as a genius in the world of Psychology, but I didn't think that you'd be just as good at Criminal Investigations.

Wang Xian: Actually, I was coerced to both reduce his sentence and bring him to this Island.

MC: You were coerced?

MC: Then let's talk about how he coerced you.

≫Inquiry Start≪

⊳ Choice: Intimidation Grounds

MC: How did Wang Xian coerce you to reduce his sentence?

Wang Xian: With evidence that I was helping the Prisoners carry in Contrabands.

Wang Xian: Dong Hechuan has a record of Contraband Transactions.

Wang Xian: It contains a list of items I brought in for them along with the amount, date and time.

Wang Xian: He threatened me, saying that he'd hand these records over to the Prison's Administration if I refused to help him reduce his sentence.

Mo Yi: It's not like you've been helping the Prisoners for only a day or two. Dong Hechuan, capable of threatening you with just a single record? Whose leg are you trying to pull?

Wang Xian: The records include the testimony and signature of each relevant prisoner. Even I don't know how he got his hands on such a thing…

Wang Xian: But, if he really reports me, not only will my reputation be ruined, but I'll also have to go to Court for it.

⊳ Choice: Dong Hechuan's motive in coming here

MC: What is Dong Hechuan's purpose in coming here? Why is he participating in the Treasure Hunt?

Wang Xian: Since you know of Dong Hechuan, I suppose you're also aware of the Gold Robbery that happened ten years ago.

Wang Xian: He came here to look for the remaining gold from that year.

MC: He was given a lighter sentence at the time because he took the initiative to confess about the whereabouts of the gold.

MC: You could have always threatened him with the fact that he purposely concealed the true location of the gold, countering the upper hand he has against you.

MC: Why did you help him get onto this Island? Moreover, I'm guessing that you were the one who sabotaged the Terminals back in the Cruise Ship.

Wang Xian: I was the one who did it, but I…

Mo Yi: Not conventional for you to say? Then, allow me to speak for you.

Mo Yi: He promised to share the gold with you, am I right?

Mo Yi: You're already risking the hair on your eyebrows by carrying Cigarettes in for the Prisoners. So how, could you ever resist the temptation of gold?

Wang Xian: That's right. It was a moment's greed that had overtook me, but I didn't destroy the Terminals single-handedly.

MC: Did you do it with Dong Hechuan?

Wang Xian: He's not the only one involved. We did destroy the Terminals together, but when we went to the Monitoring Room go replace the Security Footage…

Wang Xian: We realized that the footage of our entry had already long since been replaced.

Wang Xian: Someone else had helped us cover up the destruction of the Terminals, but we don't know who.

MC: There's actually a third person involved?

Just who was able to silently sneak into the Surveillance Room and replace the footage?

Mo Yi: "We" don't know who the third person is? Ha ha, very funny.

⊳ Choice: Details of the deal

MC: You just said that you brought Dong Hechuan to this Island because of a moment's greed.

MC: But have you thought about how he's very likely to kill you once he finds the gold?

MC: Are you even sure that you'll still be alive to enjoy the wealth you gained?

Wang Xian: Of course I've also taken pre-measures against him.

Wang Xian: Dong Hechuan told me that the remaining gold left on Nosta Island weighs more than a hundred kilograms, and he, alone, can never take it out of here.

Wang Xian: His brothers-in-arms from back then are all dead, he has no other acquaintances and has absolutely no way to transport all that gold either.

Wang Xian: So, I arranged for an ocean-going fishing boat to pick us up on the other side of the Island. Everyone on that boat is loyal to me.

Wang Xian: I will be safe so long as I manage to get onto the boat. And I won't have to worry about him making off with the gold alone either.

Mo Yi: Oh? How interesting, indeed.

Mo Yi: All the people on that boat are your men; So, of course you're not afraid. But then, what about Dong Hechuan? Isn't he afraid?

Mo Yi: You have gold aplenty and people to spare. Isn't he afraid that you'll permanently silence him on the boat?

Wang Xian: Of course not.

Wang Xian: He said that the scheduled email he had set up beforehand would send the records he's holding against me to the Police Station, should he be unable to return back to Stellis City alive.

Wang Xian: Besides, I only want to get rich. I don't have the guts to be killing people.

Wang Xian: And Dong Hechuan doesn't have any other partners out there other than me, whom he trusts.

⊳ Choice: Acting separately

Mo Yi: If the both of you are here with the gold in mind, then why aren't you acting together?

Wang Xian: That had been the initial plan, but Dong Hechuan has an illness. Therefore, he had to leave first to get it treated.

MC: What illness?

Wang Xian: PTSD; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Wang Xian: The gang of robbers had an internal fallout on this Island back then, and everyone except him had died.

Wang Xian: He has witnessed the deaths of too many of his brothers and now suffers from a serious Psychological Disorder.

Wang Xian: Dong Hechuan suffers from insomnia and has been plagued by nightmares for many years, always dreaming about the tragedy that befell on this very Island.

Wang Xian: Back on the Ship, he said that he'd be heading down to the part of the Island where his good brothers were killed first, once we landed on the Island.

Mo Yi: So he went to pay his respects to the dead. Then, where does this road you're walking lead to?

Wang Xian: He gave me the clues as to where to gold was buried and asked me to go on ahead and find it first.

MC: Clues? You mean, he doesn't know where the gold really is?

Otherwise, why wouldn't he tell Wang Xian the exact location of the gold?

Wang Xian: According to him, the biggest amount of gold had been hidden by the second boss of the gang back then.

Wang Xian: That person was very literary and artistically inclined. So, after burying the gold, he wove his clues about where it was buried, into a poetry.

Wang Xian: Therefore, no one except the second boss can find said gold, unless they solve the hidden riddle to his poetry.

⊳ Choice: Records of entering the Island

Mo Yi: Last question, Wang Xian. Is this your first time on Nosta Island?

Wang Xian: I…

He lowered his head, hesitating for a moment before letting out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Wang Xian: Mo Yi, you must have found my records of my entry and exit, if you're asking me such a question.

Wang Xian: You really do possess some remarkable abilities.

Wang Xian: I guess I can only come clean, now that you've already guessed it; there's no point in hiding it anymore.

Wang Xian: I've been here once, before. Only to make arrangements regarding the ocean-bound fishing boat.

Mo Yi: Is that so…

≫Inquiry End≪

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Wang Xian: I've already told you everything there is to be said, Dr. Mo. There's no competition or any bones to pick between us two, so just spare me.

Mo Yi: Spare you? Sure, I can do that; on one condition.

Wang Xian: What is it?

Mo Yi: Fork over the clue that leads to the gold.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Previous Part: (Mo Yi 2-01: Forest Zone) | Next Part: (Mo Yi 2-03: Deep within the Forest)

[ruffylorpship]

Introduction: Unfortunate Partners in Life

Right, I made the introduction chapter for this AU I created called Mindshare and I haven’t written anything in so long! I’ll definitely be expanding on this but for now, everything will be its own story with a slice of their life over the years.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21007967

I hope this can grow into something bigger once I get everything down. Gah I wish I had more time ;.; Hope you guys enjoy it! For people who don’t want to go to AO3 I’ll post the introduction under the cut~

Awareness seeped into his brain. He had finally awakened.

Systems were running as they were supposed to. All knowledge pertaining to the Armada’s history and the current objective was loaded. The file given designated him as a science drone to assist in building technology for the upcoming invasion titled Impending Doom. Red errors popped up in his mind’s eye, but he cast them aside, knowing that starting up always smooths out later. He identified himself as the Irken Zim, ready to serve the Empire and the Almighty Tallest. Zim wanted to make sure he was fully functional and ready for duty, so he took his time to run a diagnostic on his pak. Surely his leaders would want him at full-functioning capacity, and he would not let them down during his first moments of existing.

More warnings were popping up, irritating Zim and causing him to dismiss them all in a rush. He had to hurry and open his optics. The world would not wait for him forever to complete his own internal mission and join the rest in glory.

Muffled voices broke through the fog before the world was abruptly ripped away from him. He screamed to himself in the darkness of his brain, not understanding what had gone wrong. Any attempt to send a distress signal from the pak commands were unresponsive, causing his mind to retreat further into the machinery. For a short while, he could feel the cool metal floor of his smeetery chamber and hear the voices of those that would prepare him for the future. For a little bit, Zim had felt complete. Now, in this prison that housed his consciousness, he didn’t know what to do.

XXX

Maybe the armada was testing him? That could have been the answer. The mighty Zim wasn’t going to be decommissioned before proving his own worth! He would wait patiently for them to replug him back into his body and show his Tallest how functional he was. There were a few alerts about intense environmental conditions from the outside, but that was nothing to worry about. The pak was the finest technology in all of Irk. Zim would be safe unt-

XXX

Screaming. A horrible pitiful wail tore through the air. Something was terribly wrong. Only one optic nerve seemed to be working. He breathed in a gasp and paused, realizing something else wasn’t making sense. He was taking in air despite irkens not having to truly breathe. The only conclusion he could come up with was that his pak had latched onto the closest object to reawaken itself, which in this case was another life form. His pak must have gotten lost in space and landed on a distant planet.

Usually, this would be a downgrade from his superior self, but Zim saw this as a perfect opportunity to get back to his body using this borrowed vessel. If he was attached to something that was not his own irken flesh, the creature he was stuck to would eventually die off and give him complete control. Strangely, the repair protocols were being activated, feeding themselves into the life-form and repairing strange damage that couldn’t be properly identified. The energy needed being too great caused Zim to fall back into a dormant state.

XXX

Eyes blinked open, but everything seemed to be slightly blurred. Against the odds, the creature he was attached to was still alive if not a little broken. It seemed to have it’s own mind intact as well. Impressive for a less superior species. Zim could feel the weight of its presence clinging to him like a filthy growth. The mind was not inside his pak, for only one could be encoded to the machine and was binding for life. With no defenses inhabiting the organic squishy brain of the other organic Zim took a chance and pushed through to take control once more, also hoping the other mind would disappear forever. The brightness swam through eyes not his own. A giant stinky monster in some sort of clothing hovered over him, as tall as the Almighty Tallest and draped in white cloth. His eyes were covered by protective gear and his giant gloved hands reached down to pick Zim up, making him realize the host he was attached to was extremely small.

‘Warm...’ Zim thought in awe as he was able to feel for the first time since he had been plugged in. An echo of the same thought came back.

“Why hello there son! My my, you gave the boys and I such a big scare. Turns out that the device is keeping you nice and stable. No more termination for you today.”

‘Termination? Death? How dare this creature try and dispose of me! It will suffer the wrath of Zim!’

With as much power as he could Zim waved his clawless hand in front of the giant face and hissed menacingly. His strength tired out quickly however and he seemed to be pushed back into the background once again, aware that the vessel he housed had started crying again.

“Uhh sir? Why was your child hissing?”

“Oh, it’s probably nothing. He just recovered from a traumatic experience of near-death after all. There there little Dib, no more crying for tonight.” The creature cooed while attempting to rock the crying alien smeet.

‘Shut your whining you worm creature, your yelling is worse than the sqorchmurfs of planet Brakiclax!’

It cried harder as if to defy him. Oh, the creature would pay dearly when he gets control back. He could feel the pain and confusion seeping through the mental connection, creating a small barrage of half baked thoughts that could barely count as actual words or images.

It was literally a primitive smeet without knowledge or understanding. The blankest slate in the universe. Just great… The pain of the creature's emotions was getting progressively worse, causing Zim to try and console the little creature in hopes of getting it to finally quiet.

‘Um... there there little Dib-thing? Shut up so the big monster will put us down!’

Funny enough, the creature now tagged in his database as 'The Dib' stopped its crying and changed his tone to a soft whimper. After he was hooked back up to the medical equipment for monitoring and the giant creatures left, Zim made sure his host was unconscious again before extending a wire from his pak to plug into the mainframe. He had some learning to do.

XXX

Zim tried piloting the tiny legs towards the machine, already imagining many ways to blow up the miserable planet. He discovered the rock was called Earth. It’s natives called ‘humans’ dominated the land with their stink and filth. He figured his pak must have accidentally been misplaced and jettisoned into space, eventually making his way to the far uncharted planet. Even though the earth was not marked for conquering in his database he decided he would take it over and present it as an offering to his Tallest. Even though he was supposed to be a science drone hopefully doing this for his leaders would give him a promotion of joining the Invaders in conquest.

He had overheard with his overly large borrowed ears that the latest machinery the parental unit had created could potentially plunge the world into darkness. Taking over the power would surely ensure that control would be handed to Zim! This would be easier if he waited for the body he was borrowing to grow out of smeethood but there was no time to lose.

The door was big, but nothing his pak legs couldn’t fix. Making sure to not make a sound he crept into the room and prepared to take out the scientists that were hard at work in the lab. Before he could reactivate his legs to engage in attack mode the smeet woke up and started fighting his mind. Not expecting much resistance, Zim prepared his attack again only to have his body sit back down on the cold floor and cross his arms in protest.

‘Give me back control you useless stinky smeet!’

‘No!’

An unexpected reply making him pause in his efforts. The thing had barely been cognitive for weeks. The only exposer it had to the outside world was through the giant humans and through himself… wait…

‘Have you been leaching from me? You’ve been looking at the same resources I have and gathering intel from the mighty ZIM!?’

‘No…’

Well it certainly had a one-track mind, expected of a primitive life form, but ultimately a hindrance.

‘Give me back control and shut down into a sleep cycle for the night you waste of space!’

‘No no no no no no bad no!’

The ultimate temper tantrum resulted in the body rolling along the floor like a sad fleshy ball, which is how the scientists found the smeet later in the night. The pitiful worm-baby had won this round for now.

XXX

“No school! Please no school! Noooo!”

Dib cried as he pulled harder from his father’s gloved grip. He had to pretend to be as smart as a normal kid so his dad wouldn’t try and force him into science bonding time. Dib prefered the quiet life of searching the internet for new things to learn. He didn’t need to be near other people so they could make fun of his life support and his silly hair. Sadly his dad didn’t really seem to agree with him sitting in his room all day.

“Now now Dib, you need room to grow and evolve. While your sister is sleeping I need you to unpack the books I got you so you can learn responsibility. I swear the only words you like to say since you’ve started talking are ‘no’ and ‘alien’ and both words are ridiculous in this household. Now hurry up, I have a science demonstration to attend to.”

With that his dad let go of his arm and hurried downstairs, leaving Dib to sulk on his bed. At five years old Dib Membrane had learned a lot about the world. Some of his teachings were through his father when he wasn’t busy. The internet was full of information, especially about strange and unexplained mysteries of the world that science had no real answers for. The last source was a bit more… unreliable and tended to be bad most of the time.

‘Your parental unit is so bossy…’ His inner voice grumbled as Dib started packing up the books into his arm bag. The life support made it impossible to use a normal backpack.

“You mean Dad?"

‘Yes! That’s what I said filthy worm-child!’

Dib rolled his eyes at the comment, noticing at the top left his glasses had a smudge. Another reason he didn’t want to go to school. The internet said people tended to have eye problems later in their life, while he had the luck to need them very early.

“You use big words a lot. Why are you so smart when I’m not?”

‘Ehh…That’s because… I was created with knowledge already programmed. Despite your fast learning capabilities, humans are born with blank slates and squishy matter that need stuff like time and repetition.’

That caused Dib to pause and scratch his head in confusion from the big words being thrown around, making a note to research them later on the internet. He already had a book filled with words the voice tended to throw around, making him want to understand.

“Aren’t you human?”

‘Yes yes! I am definitely a fully functioning monkey-child! I mean I am you but more superior with my technological upgrades… LEAVE ME ALONE!’

The volume inside his head caused him to wince, even though he knew it wasn’t real. It was strange. People don’t usually develop voices in their heads. Maybe the voice was part of his imagination, like an imaginary friend that also worked as a duel personality. He was smarter than most people his age, he knew that fact because his dad’s lab assistants always told him, but he was also a bit strange.

He stopped at the door, with his bag safely hanging from his right arm, hands pressed together in nervousness.

“I’m scared everyone is going to make fun of me. I’m too different. Why can’t I stay home? I learn enough on my own.”

He really didn’t expect the voice to reply back, but surprisingly it did with a bit of hesitation in its voice.

‘Despite how much I’d rather stay within the close confines of accessible technology, I agree with your parental unit when he says you need to grow and evolve. With height comes power, and with knowledge comes privilege to achieve what you must do. Don’t let those smelly man creatures be the boss of you. Beside’s, gathering intel from this wasteland of a planet will be beneficial for upcoming invas- I mean challenges.’

“You’re using too many big words again, but I feel a bit better. I want to find a real monster someday, and I need to learn about the world to get there. I know that much, I think? So…thanks voice. Or uhh… imaginary friend? I don’t really know what to call you. Maybe I should name you?”

‘I am no pet smeetling! You may address me as the Almighty Superior Leader Ruler Overlord and Master Zim!’

With one last roll of his eyes, Dib pushed the door open and made his way downstairs to meet his fate.

“Right, thanks Zim.”

[rain0205-blog]

Terminal State

Summary:  She tried leaving, submerging herself in work to escape the horrors she had seen. The horrors she kept seeing. She never wanted to go back to that life. But when the Empire takes her home, she’s forced to face her past. Can she move on? Can she cope? Or will she require a bit of help? still bad at summaries, still working on it. ever so slightly more than slight AU gadioxoc

The Signing Ceremony

...

Dr. Virum finished packing the last of the medical supplies she thought she would need, wanting to cover all of her bases and make sure that she had enough to fill up her entire bag while leaving no room for mistakes. After a strange emotional breakfast with the Marshal this morning, she immediately began to gather up her emergency getaway bag. There weren't many clothes, only what she would need for fighting and travelling. It was with a heavy heart she had dug out her weapon from her closet, cleaning it and having it sharpened before sheathing it to pack it up. The safety net of everything in her grasp would be kept right near the nurse's station, the tension in the air rising with every passing minute that they approached the fateful hour of the Signing Ceremony.

There was so much to do and yet not enough time. Patients waited to be treated and it seemed that they had the most minimal of staff, everyone wanted the day off to be at the Citadel. That's where they really should have been, near the action in case there was a dire need for medical attention. Virum would also be able to keep a better eye on Cor, who was throwing her through a roller coaster of different emotions today. Emergency medicine was her area of expertise, she belonged where all the action was not sitting here, fidgeting with worry as she went about her very slow day. Both Gin and Tash were in today, as Dr. Virum had asked them just to help her sort some things out with the hospice and anxiety patients. Neither of them seemed to mind, wanting to be together anyway during the ceremony. It was still a few hours off but the local television station - which was on in the hospital - was doing full coverage. While there was nothing pressing going on with the current events, nurses and passing patients only glanced at it briefly as they happened by. The sound was on but only on low, the droning of the reporter's words unimportant.

By mid-morning, the last of the transport vehicles to Lestallum had arrived. Dr. Virum and Gin began to bring the patients out, other porters were also strapping in and securing other patients. Virum looked around, monitoring the situation and double checking that every need was met and packing extra supplies, just in case she had to flee to Lestallum herself. It was hard to think about such a drastic exit, however, she always liked to be prepared - just in case. There was one patient that would be going in an ambulance, his ailment taking a turn for the worse in the night and the doctor figured she could spare at least one of them. Just as Gin was about to close the doors, Dr. Virum stopped her abruptly.

"Get in the rig," she instructed.

"What?" Gin looked at her friend confused.

"Get in and go."

"Cia-"

"Please don't argue with me, just get in the rig and go with them."

"No, what is this about?"

Dr. Virum sighed, "Look, I just..."

How was she to even begin? Crowe's death and Cor's emotional train, the blatant dismissal of her uncovering a mole in the Glaive. Something was seriously amiss, so strong she could almost taste it. As she stared at her ginger-haired, pregnant resident nurse, she could feel in the pit of her stomach that this woman needed to go. Virum didn't want anything to happen to anyone she cared about - hell if she had a chance at prying Tash away she would send them both, but Tash wouldn't leave her sons. What was a girl to do? She couldn't very well blurt everything out that had happened.

"I've got a bad feeling and I think it's best if you go to Lestallum."

"Seriously, I am so unprepared for a journey right now."

"I know and I'm sorry. But we've got so many already going there and I don't want them to be alone."

"Cia, I can't go."

"You have to. I'm ordering you as your boss. You have to go, get in the rig."

Gin looked at her helplessly, not really liking this at all, "But-"

"I could be wrong and I really hope that I am. You'll be back in a couple of days and you get a vacation out of it. Please, just get in the rig."

The pregnant woman knitted her brows into worry before she nodded slowly, getting into the back of the ambulance and sitting by her patient. Gin gave one last look at Dr. Virum before the doors were closed and she was safely on her way out. Virum sighed as she watched it disappear from her view, her heart heavy as she turned her head toward the Citadel. The gnawing feeling of dread continued to pulse through her body and she hoped that everything was okay there before heading back to the hospital.

...

Dr. Virum yawned as she sat the nurse's station with Tash. Most of the patients had thinned out since this morning and as they entered a lunch hour there was more action towards the Citadel. The hoards of Niflheim leaders were arriving for the ceremony. Virum recognized the Emperor of Niflheim, Iedolas Aldercapt. That was the face of their enemy, the one who gave the order to invade town after town and kill people by the thousands. This was the man they were making peace with, who would enslave the lands outside of Insomnia and do who knows what with it. Her fist tightened at her side as her other hand came to her forehead, something unfamiliar stirring within her. Virum squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to push away images of her inside the throne room years ago before King Regis. She didn't even remember what she was doing there but for whatever reason this man made her think of it. Shaking her head, a frown stayed on her face, happy that Aldercapt was no longer on the screen. Next, the camera pointed to a man she had never met but knew on sight.

Ravus Nox Fleuret, the former Prince of Tenebrae, had almost an evil smile to him. His hardship wasn't unknown, neither was his resentment for the King. The man seemed to be enjoying the attention given to him, a ripe sort of arrogance surrounding his person. Dr. Virum's eyes seemed to be playing tricks on her. Blinking hard and shaking her head, the image of a dark shadow and a gleaming blade came to her as she drunk in his image. The scar on her neck started to burn as the blade wormed its way into her brain. A hateful glare formed then, the blemish was just a huge reminder of her failure.

Once the camera moved she was shaken out of her thoughts. Virum found it odd that there was no sign of the Oracle, nor any of the Glaives. None of this was adding up and she really hoped the King knew what he was doing because she really couldn't bear it if something happened to him or anyone else. In the end, she was happy that Gladiolus and the others were away from the city or she would fear for their lives as well. It was almost easier to feel nothing. Almost. The cameras followed the Niflheim and Insomnian officials alike through the Citadel and toward the conference room. This was where the signing was supposed to take place. Virum felt fear grip her heart as she noted that the King was not present yet. By this time, everyone in the hospital had stopped their work if they could and stood near the station, all eyes on the television before them. No one said anything, even the steady beeping of monitors seemed to be drowned out by the anticipation of this historic event. Dr. Virum put her hand on her bag, feeling a little safer having her things ready to go.

King Regis entered the room, notably late but still there. Virum felt more anxiety bubbling within her body as she watching him approach the table and take his place beside the Emperor. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes glued to the screen. The two of them seemed to be talking under their breath, as the book was slowly being brought towards them. Once it was placed on the table, a pin could have dropped and sounded in her ears like an alarm. The Emperor looked smug about something, and Dr. Virum caught the look of apprehension on the King's face before it happened, unable to read their lips as she was trained.

Without warning, his weapons emerged just as Niflheim forces began to gun down Insomnians within the room. The screen went fuzzy after that, the connection terminated. Dr. Virum's eyes widened in horror at the last thing she saw and shot out of her seat instantly. It was instantaneous that she could already hear gunfire and the screaming panic outside, soldiers starting to shoot civilians. Athenacia swiftly put her bag on her back, staff and patients alike began to panic.

"Everyone stay calm! Evacuate the building calmly and find any Crownsguard, they'll help you of the city!"

But fear seemed to take over as more screams erupted from outside of the hospital. Athenacia gasped as she was being pushed by people rushing out towards the exits. Before she could get completely trampled, someone grasped her arm to pull her out of the way. It was Tash, the older woman also staying out of the stampede that was the emergency department. They felt the ground shake beneath them, both women gasping as screams were now heard from within the hospital. Athenacia grabbed her friend and yanked her to the door, making a beeline for it. They stayed out of the main trail of the masses, as her hazel eyes scanned the area, however, she could see dreadnaughts making their way toward the magical barrier. There weren't enough for an invasion, simply enough to take down the one section of the city and reduce it to rubble.

Her jaw set, she began to make her way toward the Citadel, pulling Tash along with her. As they got a block away from the hospital, they stopped dead in their tracks. Athenacia's hazel eyes widened in fear, as shards of the magical barrier began to fall toward her, the grip on Tash tightened as the very thing protecting them shattered like a piece of thin glass. Each piece fell and began to hit them - though it did no physical harm to any of them, it still felt like a knife cutting through her skin as it shattered upon reaching her. It left them completely exposed, those dreadnaughts could now attack the city without a problem.

And they wasted no time in doing so.

The city streets beneath them shook, pushing the two women to the ground as MagiTek troopers began their descent into the city. People were screaming as they ran every which way in a complete panic and not knowing where to go. Athenacia pulled Tash up and unsheathed her weapon just in case. It was a modified gladius, something she hadn't held in ages. The blade itself had a purple tinge to it, not completely straight; it curved, widening at the end while it also had teeth on the top and a strangely arched hook at the end. It was made for lingering damage coming out more so than going in. The hilt was a bit smaller, customized to fit in her hand, a guard for her fingers as she clutched it with all of her might. Despite the lack of use it still felt as an extension of her right arm, natural, like she had never put it down. It was sharp, something easily learned when she had cut through a MagiTek trooper that had fallen in their path. Another few dropped down in front of them and she swung her blade, careful not to hit Tash. The other trooper was a bit far so she utilized her borrowed magic, happy that it was still at her command - because if she could still use the magic it meant that the source of it was still alive. That was the only way to gauge anything while she was stuck here on the outside.

Her head snapped toward another hoard of screaming citizens. They were running toward her, some of them falling to the ground unable to avoid the gunfire. Athenacia pushed Tash to the ground, out of harms way before darting to the source of the disturbance. Slicing through one trooper, she ducked under another as she easily threw her body with one hand on the ground behind the last three. In one swift move, she cut through one and halfway through another, yanking her weapon out of the metal body and held up her other hand, blasting the last two with fire. The girl bolted toward the last one, chopping through it while she made her way back to Tash. There were more troopers back at the location of the resident nurse. They fired their guns and Athenacia put up a shield before projecting lightning, taking them all out. A scowl on her face, she scanned the area quickly for her friend. Her heart stopped, eyes widening as she slowly walked toward a pile of rubble that wasn't there when she left. Her grip tightened on the gladius as she slowly approached the area. Screams of terror surrounded her, the ground quaking beneath her but she pressed on. Once she closed the distance, her fears were confirmed and tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the older woman crushed, blunt force trauma to the head and eyes wide open, lifeless.

Athenacia dropped to her knees as her tears fell. Only Tash's head, neck and right shoulder could be seen underneath the very large pieces of the building above them. The doctor put her two fingers on the woman's neck, knowing she wouldn't find a pulse but feeling compelled to try anyway. It felt like a blow as a wail escaped her lips. There was no heartbeat, this woman who looked after her for years inside her job was dead. This was her fault, she shouldn't have left her. It was stupid, she was trying to avoid this exact situation. Useless in the end, who was she kidding anyway?

Suddenly, she screamed out as a bullet hit the back of her left forearm. Athenacia grunted, seething as she observed her wound quickly. Clean shot, good. Her eyes ablaze, she swiftly rose to her feet and assessed the situation. Four troopers, three more on the left. She didn't even bother with her weapon. Fire in one hand and lightning in the other, she shot her attack with a vengeance. They were down instantly, no longer causing her a problem. The girl darted into an alleyway, away from the main street commotion and dropped to one knee while sheathing her weapon across her back that hung diagonally between her shirt and the bag she wore. There was no time to dress this, she had to find Cor right away. Drawing in a large breath, she held her right hand over the wound with a focused look on her face. As always, the gold lights that emanated from her magic engulfed the desired target and she watched as it healed itself and then stopped, standing up. Athenacia couldn't do that often or she would wear herself out. Rising to her feet, she unsheathed her gladius once more and quickly made her way toward the Citadel in search of the Marshal.

...

With the wall gone and the dreadnaughts inside, it was very evident that this was part of the plan. Along her path, Athenacia saw in horror that the crystal was being confiscated from the Citadel and into a nearby airship. That didn't bode well for anyone. If there was one thing she knew about the line of Lucis, it was that the crystal was the very thing that was keeping all of them safe. Take that away and... well who knew what would happen? She didn't plan on sticking around to find out.

Athenacia crept toward her destination, taking out as many troopers as she could in order to save the scared citizens. The once tall and peaceful city was in a frenzy, everyone trying to get out all at the same time. They were scared and dying along the way. The doctor could no longer see the tall building of the hospital, only saw the damage done the Citadel. Most of their efforts were focused in the main square of the city, which unfortunately was where most of the citizens actually were. The outlying neighbourhoods were being ignored and she wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not. Obviously, Niflheim was trying to send a message of some sort. Athenacia was almost at the Citadel limits and noticed that only more devastation was surrounding her as she approached. Human and trooper soldiers alike were attacking everyone and everything. Where was the Glaive? Now it didn't matter, the Crownsguard having their hands full. Carefully she stepped out of the safety of the shadows, charging with her weapon toward a struggling guard that was trying to evacuate a little girl and her mother. Athenacia took out the trooper and sliced off the human soldier. The guard nodded at her as he directed the civilian.

"Where's the Marshal?" she demanded of him.

"Inside!" he pointed towards the east wing.

Athenacia nodded at him and took off in that direction. Everything in her vision was blue as she only had one target in her wake. If she knew Cor, he would be trying to make his way into the Citadel and get to the King. She had to catch him beforehand, pumping her legs as fast as they would go while avoiding any enemies along her path. Bullets grazed her along the way, mostly focused on the guards that were trying to neutralize them. Athenacia only stopped to help those that were severely outnumbered and even then it was for only a moment. Cor was by himself and ready to ascend the steps into the main building and fighting off a wave of MagiTek troopers. Athenacia had to stop them, summoning her borrowed magic to thin out some of the extras and even out the odds while she plunged into battle. His light blue eyes met her briefly as she scurried towards him. Crouching down, her gladius whipping through the air effortlessly as it took out one trooper and then another before she launched herself into the air so that she was by the Marshal's side. They finished off the last of the soldiers and she breathed a huge sigh of relief, her heart was hammering in her chest.

"Stupid old man, you know that you're not actually immortal right?" she turned to him.

"What are you still doing here?" he barked at her.

"You're welcome," she scoffed while her eyes scanned the area.

"I told you to be ready to leave!"

"You also told me to be on standby if you needed me. Well, here I am!"

The Immortal only scowled at her, unable to say anything to that. Athenacia was right and he knew it because he would have done the same thing. Frowning, he looked toward the door of the Citadel and knew that there was no way he going to get to the King. Cor couldn't risk her life so it was best if they left while they still could. The girl matched his stare and awaited his instruction, her pink scrubs covered in dust and blood. Some of it was her own but most of it belonged to people she had encountered along the way since Tash was killed. Cor began to lead her away from the Citadel and toward one of the evacuation points to get them safely out. The dreadnaughts were closing in, causing more destruction in their path as they came. More troopers dropped down and more debris flew in the air - only to fall to the ground with their gravitational pull. The doctor was almost thrown from her feet as the ground beneath her shook with multiple impacts and points of attack above her.

"Cia look out!" bellowed Cor.

Athenacia gasped, looking up and seeing one of the smaller airships crash into one of the taller buildings of the Citadel. The debris was making its way towards them quickly. Doing a doubt take, she thought she saw a strange flash of blue and white above them but Cor had tackled her down, pulling her as far away from the danger as possible and using his body to shield her. The man grunted in pain above her, completely tense and instantly she put a hand to his chest in an attempt to soothe his pain with her healing magic. The Marshal moved shortly after looking mostly unharmed at what had befallen them. He nodded at her and they began to run toward one of the evacuation points.

There were more MT's in their path and they didn't hesitate to cut them down. Most of the civilians were gone now, only Niflheim forces and dreadnaughts above them causing as much devastation in their wake as possible. They were stuck in the plaza, as trooper after trooper dropped down to try and take them out. Athenacia slashed, she kicked, she flipped, she utilized her close range fighting skills. It was lucky that she had done so much training under the man beside her or else she was sure their moves would be sloppy at best. Even with their quick precision, they were still suffering minor wounds here and there. It just seemed to never end. The physician looked up and noted the dreadnaught above them releasing the never-ending waves of their enemies. Setting her jaw, she neutralized two troopers in front of her and held up her hand to shoot lightning at the dreadnaught - but nothing happened. Frowning, she tried it again. Still nothing. Growling she slicing another trooper behind her and found her way closer to Cor. The man was a blur with his attacks but she wasn't trying to follow his movements at all. Athenacia grunted in pain at getting hit before twirling and finishing off what was in front of them.

"Can't you fry them?!" demanded Cor.

"My magic isn't working!" she yelled at him, bracing herself or another wave.

"What?!"

"It won't work I already tried!"

The dark look on his face told her exactly what she had suspected. If her magic was no longer working then it could only mean one thing; King Regis was dead. The very man who had kept this city safe with his own magic and life force was no more, and there was no time to mourn. Fresh enemies dropped down to their level, getting ready to be pushed away by two very angry people. Cor Leonis could only feel that he had failed in his duty to his King, therefore, the wrath he unleashed was unlike anything she had ever seen before. While she was adept enough it still had been many years since she had walked away from the fighting. He was much older than and still fought, still trained and still had his edge without an issue. Athenacia could hardly keep up with him, could barely move while he took out the enemies near her. In this light of devastation with the scowl on his face and weapon in hand, she saw for the first time ever: Cor the Immortal.

It was only briefly as an inhuman scream reached her ears. Her head whipped to the source her hazel eyes widening in fear. From a dying dreadnaught came purple tentacles in the distance as it slowly fell and crashed into a stream of tall buildings in the distance. Although there was an explosion that ensued shortly after, that scream roared off from the source and she knew that the daemon was still alive. Fear gripped her heart as it raced within her, breathing heavily while her right hand began to shake. She looked around in a haze at everything around her, barely hearing Cor call out to her as he fought off more troopers.

Athenacia was filled with rage at the sight before her. The daemon was here, had come to take her home from her. She wanted to run but she couldn't, because if she ran then Crowe wouldn't get justice. Crowe, who gave her life as a Glaive to try and save her home, save the world from the Empire, who lied dead because of her own people. Where was her justice? Tash, a simple civilian who gave her life as a nurse to help people in need. People she didn't know, people who treated her like garbage and never appreciated the number of hours, blood and sweat a nurse put into her shift. Where was her justice? King Regis, who gave his life for years in order to maintain a peace and help his people live. A man who was killed by his own people after years of protecting them. Where was his justice? For all the lives lost to these monsters, some she knew and some she didn't. Where was their justice?

Her jaw set and vengeance in her hazel eyes, she tightened her hold on her gladius and began to journey toward the daemon. Athenacia sliced through anything on her way, seeing nothing but the path she set upon.

"Cia!" Cor called after her.

But she ignored him like she couldn't hear him at all. The Marshal began to run after her, only to be stopped by a very large dreadnaught that crashed in his way. He growled as troopers began to exit the airship and bar his path.

[skycrystal23]

Passport

This is my first written piece for Detroit so it might sound weird. It usually takes me a couple works to find my groove when it comes to writing for new fandoms. ANYWAYS, take this post-good ending for Kara and Alice. 

                                       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Summary: Kara, Alice, and Luther were just let into Canada. All is fine until an unnamed woman returns the passport Kara dropped earlier. They have a lovely conversation while Kara thinks about their newfound freedom and future life in Canada. 

Characters: Kara, Alice, Luther, Random woman 

NO WARNINGS 

    It’s cold. That is the first thing that the three of them notice once they’ve exited the building containing Border Security. The snow is falling around them and gracefully towards the frozen ground. It was nearing midnight now; Alice should be tucked under a mountain of blankets in a bedroom of her own. Instead the three of them – Kara, Luther, and Alice – are huddled outside just beyond the borderline.

They were free.

    Kara couldn’t begin to contemplate what a life as a free person would be like. For days all that kept her going was the idea of her and Alice being free, living peacefully. All she wanted was for the young android to live happily and never be afraid again. People were walking past them heading every which way. Some had people waiting for them, others were chattering on their phones, while others boarded a bus to take them to the main terminal.

    A large hand came to rest on her shoulder giving it a light squeeze. She pulled away from Alice’s eager embrace and looked up at the rather tall dark-skinned android. Luther was the gentle giant who vowed to protect the two of them from harm. She gave him a gentle smile. The three of them were a family now; no one could tear them apart. It became apparent that she and Alice had been on the ground for an extended amount of time.

    She stood pulling the young android up with her. There was a smile glued to the kid’s face, one that could melt even the most stoic person’s heart. Alice’s brown eyes were glowing, toothy smile taking up most of her face, and specks of snow falling onto her face as she stared up at the android she considered her mother. This was a whole new side of Alice that Kara or Luther had yet to experience. “We should leave, in case that human changes his mind.” Luther says his voice as low as possible.

    That Border Officer was kind enough to look the other way and let the three of them through. If the peaceful protests going on in Detroit were anything but well peaceful then perhaps they would be turned in, or even killed. “You’re right, he could change his mind at any moment,” she looks down at Alice, “We need to go Alice.” She says with a smile. The girl nods and takes Kara’s hand.

    Luther is at Alice’s opposite side, he’s still in protection mode. They’re heading towards the bus that dozens of people are loading onto when they’re stopped. “Excuse me miss!” All of them tense up, Kara more than anyone else. They can’t have come this far only to be stopped minutes after they’ve reached their destination. Kara turns; it feels as if time is moving by like an inch worm moving across a long stretch of grass. There’s a woman. She’s rosy cheeked, curls of red hair sticking out from underneath a white beanie, and big eyed.

    The red-head has her arm stretched out towards the seemingly peaceful family. “You dropped your passport, Kara right?” the woman asks whilst giving a quick glance down at the passport. Kara’s synthetic lips turn upwards in a tight smile as she gives the woman a nod. The stranger didn’t look at all threatening, she looked cold if anything. That of course did not stop Luther from sizing her up. Humans were capable of anything, even hiding their truest desires under layers and layers of false emotions.

    Zlatko was like that. He remembered everything that that sick man did to all of those androids. He remembered what he did to his people, their people. Luther looked the small woman up and down. “Thank you.” Kara smiled and took her passport back from the kind lady.

“You’re getting on this bus right?” the woman asked gesturing towards the driverless bus.

“Yes.” Kara answered.

    She was still unsure if this woman actually wanted something or if she was just trying to be friendly with them. Alice shifted around next to her leaning more into Luther, partially hiding her small body behind his leg. The red-head caught view of the smaller female and grinned. “Is she yours?” the woman asked. Slowly Kara could feel herself lowering her guard. If anything were to happen Luther was here anyways to help.

    The android nodded and stepped to the side to reveal more of Alice who was now clutching onto the largest of the latter’s grey overcoat. That smile she was wearing earlier was gone within an instant. After everything that has happened Alice was still quite weary around new people. “Her names Alice.” Kara introduced, nodding towards the child-like android.

“Well hello there Alice.” The woman greeted with a cheery smile.

“We should probably be getting on that bus before it leaves to the terminal without us.” The woman continued.

    Kara nodded and looked back at the self-driving vehicle idle at the curb. There weren’t as many people as she initially believed to be seated inside. Then again people were still pouring out of the building a few feet away from them so it could fill up any time now. The red-head decided to walk along with them to the bus. She seemed like a nice enough person to be speaking to. They sat at the back of the bus on the long stretch of seats.

    The friendly woman continued chatting with Kara until the bus approached the terminal. Alice was asleep - yes androids could sleep - cuddled into Luther’s side. The largest of the latter had an arm protectively wrapped around the sleeping girl. “It’s a shame what’s happening in Detroit. Androids or not no one deserves to be treated like that.” The woman said with a sigh. Kara perked up at this and raised an inquisitive brow.

    She waited silently, even glanced at Alice and Luther at her side, for the woman to continue speaking. Kara had been around humans long enough to have a rough guess of when they wish to continue their thoughts. “That’s why we don’t have androids in Canada. It goes against the Living-being law. It’s simply another form of slavery.” The red-head frowns and looks down at her lap in thought.

“Are you Canadian?” Kara asked.

    Her robotic brain processed thoughts millions of times faster than any human brain could. It wasn’t long for her to deduce that this woman was Canadian. As they were getting on the bus she noticed the small Canadian flag pin on the front pocket of her bag. “Yes. I mean technically you are to now.” The woman let out a small laugh. Kara couldn’t tell what was funny but let out a small laugh anyways.

    She just wanted to seem normal, to seem human. She, Alice, and Luther just needed to get to Ontario where Rose said her brother lived. Then they would be truly safe. They were still too close to the border for her liking. The bus pulled to a stop at the terminals curb. It was past midnight now and Alice was fast asleep. Generally androids didn’t require rest but it was completely possible for them to.

    It was a quicker way to pass the time at night. A few people stood up and reached for their bags hidden in the small compartments up above. The red-head stood up and did the same grabbing her bag she was wearing earlier. Kara’s gaze drifted to the large window where she stared out at the snowy bus lot. “Anyways, I have to go. It was nice meeting you and your family, I hope you enjoy Canada as much as I do.” The woman beamed while waving goodbye as she walked down the aisle to the buses exit.

    Kara smiled fondly as she watched the woman exit the bus. The two of them had a pleasant conversation. She hoped all Canadians were as kind as her. Kara stood up and shimmied across the seats in order to get to the aisle. “I got her.” Luther said softly as he picked Alice up in his arms. The girl looked so fragile. They were the last to exit the self-driving bus before it pulled away from the curb. She looked up at the dark sky and watched the snow sail gracefully downwards.

    It was cold. They were free. That’s all that mattered at the moment. “Remind me to get a jacket that doesn’t have holes in the pockets.” She said hearing Luther snicker in response.

“I will Kara.” He agreed as they left the terminal and headed for a taxi.

It was cold, that’s all she remembered from that night.

[braindamageforbeginners]

Diagnosversary

Cycle 10, Day 12

Chronic disease patients celebrate the anniversary of their diagnosis. I realize this might seem macabre to able-bodied people who don’t have an abusive relationship with their physiology, but, in many cases for chronic disease patients, this is the moment someone with the authority told us what was wrong with us, and we can start to take steps to correct that. For most of us, that’s the start to living healthier, better lives. Which is worth noting and celebrating.

Like many other parts of this disease, mine was, let’s say, not standard. I’d known for a while I’d had  a brain tumor - another brain tumor  - this one just jumped a few grades unexpectedly while I was waiting for an opening in a brain cancer vaccine trial/study; so there was a week-long gap between getting my skull cracked open and the call that changed my life.

Between then - because I like to stay busy - I’d had a seizure, and woken in the back of an ambulance, which easily goes in the Top 10 Most-Horrifying Moments of my life (and, to quote Rutina Wesley, I’ve seen some shit). It’s worth noting that almost all of my symptoms - from before Day 1, with Tumor #1, back in 2002 - don’t seem a result of the disease (knock on wood), but usually side-effects of treatments. In this case, the likely cause was an issue coming off the steroids I was prescribed post-surgery (both to prevent brain inflammation/swelling, and as a pain-killer). I have some friends in Utah and the Southwest who want to know why there might be a need for it - to start with, the pharmaceutical doesn’t have anything that can match the sort of relief CDB (and other medical marijuana products) provides, safely. And the best-case alternatives standard medicine uses are amazingly dangerous and laden with side-effects (in my case, I really wish I’d done some more homework prior to the whole thing, because the amount of Tylenol and aspirin necessary to take the harshest edge off would’ve burned up my kidneys and liver in a few months). But that’s neither here nor there.

I’d been told that morning by my oncologist it was full-blown, Stage 4, So when I came to in the back of that ambulance in a post-ichtal state - I can’t speak for everyone, but I have no memory of the seizure itself, and a large chunk of the previous week was missing, too (that’s probably a side-effect of neurosurgery), so I got to experience again, for the first time (sort of) the diagnosis as the paramedic relayed my medical condition back to dispatch. I remember asking the medics, “Wait, that isn’t me, is it?” When he confirmed it, I shouted back, “Stage IV, that’s fatal, isn’t it?!” He kind of shrugged and said there are a few cases of survival.

ACTUAL BIT OF USEFUL ADVICE: Even though the very worst way to treat someone else’s diagnosis is to avoid them, a close second is to shrug.and go, “Meh.”

One year ago today was - knock on wood - the absolute very worst day of my life. Hopefully, that’s the low-point, but one of the difficult and horrible things about a disease that combines all the “greatest hits” of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer is that ever-present promise that things can always get worse, and that worm can turn at any moment. So far, it hasn’t.

Whenever you get these life-changing diagnoses, able-bodied people pile on if you’re not a wise, kindly ball of sunshine. That’s a crappy thing to do to someone who’s in pain and unbelievably scared - you wouldn’t tell a friend about to start divorce proceedings that they should buck up (Fortunately, people around me weren’t too awful in those first few months). And the first six round of treatment - when you’re getting nuked and (low-grade) chemo every day are amazingly miserable (again, I really wished I’d known about CDB then, because it really does turn a night of of Temodar from a waking nightmare to a mid-grade hangover). Thankfully, I got the go-ahead after the initial treatment to go for the full year of post-initial treatment. Another big turning point was when the Original Research Coordinator pointed out there’s a correlation between how well patients physically tolerate treatment and long-term outcomes, which effectively got me far more invested in my diet and physical activity.than I had been previously. Which helped me make other investments in other areas of my life. Another major turning point in the process was finding out about Ben Williams and his take on this incurable diseases - most of them are really quite curable if you can just stay alive and healthy long enough to survive the cure (or repeated doses of it, anyway), which, again, gym, diet, complementary medicine. And there’s at least two more treatment options for GBM that have come to market in that time

And, at the end of a year, I have to admit that even though I will still stand up for physician-assisted suicide in cases that are genuinely terminal (as opposed to “incurable”), if you and your doctors agree that you have a good year left, I’d advise everyone to take it, because you really never know what could happen in a year. And yeah, what I had planned for my life isn’t going to happen, which sucks, but, an uncertain future sometimes beats the certainty of something terrible.

Since my goal of the past year has been both to surprise myself and not reinvent the wheel, I’ll hand the baton to one my favorite scenes from the greatest television series ever made: Northern Exposure.

[gsmatthews95]

A journey to the heart of Bavaria

A DOUBLE POST. I'm so sorry I actually forgot to post the last piece I wrote last week.... I've been busy... Actually not really... More lazy I'd say, however not as lazy as many may lead me to believe as I post my ultimate and final piece of this epic five month literary masterpiece that has explained, over exaggerated and immortalized the past, and last, five months of this trip. It has been momentous. It has spanned many a country. There has been fun. There has been culture. There has been beers. It has been exceptional, however, as I write this in the departure terminal of Berlin tegel airport heading home for the first time in 13 months, I am excited to be heading home. There is trepidation, a new era of my life awaits, but, the thought of seeing people I haven't seen for over a year, seeing my family, seeing Roland and even seeing the yids been barca at Wembley is driving me on. Possibilities is the word of the day. Deep I know, I'm just writing this so you don’t judge me so much when I write the actual meaty part of this article, which will be arriving imminently. I'll post now on the back of a few weeks in ze Deutscheland, mainly in Berlin but with a few days down in deep Bavaria, doing all things German. Yes everything. This involved: beers, hiking, eating sausage, saying tchussi, looking at pretty buildings, obeying j walking rules, discussing brexit, meeting an old friend and, oh yes I remember, drinking more beers st Oktoberfest. It was very fun.

As I headed down on my flixbus, I anticipated what these 3 and a half days had in store for me, I was excited, raring to get started and seeing Manuel, who I hadn't seen for 4 and a half years. Wow long. Would we still be friends? Would we recognize each other? Would he find me as intensely irritating as the majority of the rest of the world? After all lots has changed in the last 5 years, and I mean lots. I feel like a new person post gap year, uni and second gap year. It was unbelievably comforting therefore, to realise immediately, literally within 3 seconds, how nothing had changed. Conversation was never forced, all was comfortable and he had a good plan, now I knew it would be a good trip. The first evening was uneventful. Not bad by any means, exactly what we needed in fact, a whistle stop tour of Munich, a taste of the local beer brewed next to the monastery manu went to school in, ye that local and our first maaaaaaaas (1 liter of beer, yummy) before we headed back to tegensee (is that how you spell it) but Ill get to that. First I need to briefly mention a phenomenon I've never seen before and even after explanation from manu before we got there, something I had no idea what to expect. Dont expect to understand  it just reading this, apologies. So it is an artificial wave on the river in the middle of Munich. It is maybe 10 meters wide and is always going. It is a mecca for surf bums from apparently all around the world. World famous in the surfer dude world. Rad eh? Or gnarly? I dunno I don't surf. It was however, EXTREMELY impressive as they surfed from side to side rapidly, doing their little tricks and jumps for the ever growing crowd who. Completely ignoring privacy ideas, filmed the whole lot. This included yours truly as I filmed a wee vid for memories sake. That was cool. The rest of Munich is beautiful. The building are all nice, well up kept and most importantly, colourful. I like colourful and painted buildings. Oh yeah we also climbed up a church to get a nice panoramic view of the city, very nice if not a wee bit tiring and sweaty. Anyhow, in tegensee we visited the famous tegensee brewery and even saw the monastery Manuel was educated in, very cute. We also consumed another beer and half a pig together as we munched down two bangin meals, George approved. Manu, day 1 was successful. 

On to day 2. With an early night under our belts it was an early (read early as: 9am) start as we prepared for a hike. Ooo exercise. The fourth of Manu's week, the second of my month maybe. Having arrived in the dark I couldn't see the surroundings of the house as such I had a rough idea of what I  might expect but these expectations were far below the reality as I woke up in awe of the landscape surrounding the house. I can only describe it as living in the Alps. Which is literally where we were. The mountains towered on all sides of us with the Xmas trees adorning each summit. Sadly no snow. Although this made for a much more enjoyable, Clear and warm hike. So usually when heading on a six hour hike in the alps you may need to drive somewhere first or get a bus or train. With kreuth, this is not the case. From the back door we wandered thru the picturesque, tiny alpine hamlet towards our everest. The hike was beaut. Not too strenuous, but hard enough and long enough to make us feel like we got our exercise for the holiday and give us a carte Blanche for Oktoberfest he he he. It was the classic situation when the tourist is stopping for photos every two minutes as each view gets better than the previous. The sun was shining the mountains were infinite and there was barely anyone there, a perfect threesome some would say. Having only got lost once (and only slightly) and with me only asking "are we there yet twice?" We hit the summit. EXITO. A very nostalgia moment from the glory days of bariloche in Argentina. Off came the shirts, out came the sandwiches and the sunbathing began. It was lush. When fully whelmed we headed for a beer at a little chalet thing. And headed home in anticipation of meeting a new puppy and then oktoberfesting. So the best surprise of the trip was undoubtably the datshund (sausage dog) puppy. Oh my lord he was adorable. So small. So scared and so perfect. He was amazing. With a little brown beard and brown feet he was the epitome of perfection to me, sadly all good things have to come to an end and this good thing was cut so cruelly short as we rushed to catch the train to Munich for some beers in lederhosen. The journey continued up to the next chapter which will most probably be written in less adoring detail as the details blur slightly and tales become less "travel blog worthy"....

Our destination in Munich was Manu's friend, Georg's house. Pronounced gay-org. So we had a Georg and a George, a nice meeting of cultures... Or just two similar names from different countries. He was at Oktoberfest however, so our plan was to get to his apartment, get let in by a friend, put on the lederhosen (I was wearing Manuel's brothers), get drunk enough for a club and then find the after club. We did this all very successfully if I say so myself drinking g n t with ice, being classy while saving money and time. The night was good as we wandered to the club thru the swathes of drunk oktoberfesters and had a boogy. This led us to the next morning. The real Oktoberfest. It was an early kick off, 9:30am, heavy. We donned the lederhosen, got some beers and begun the day of fun. Georg managed to talk his way into the main tent, no mean feat, highly impressive and then also managed to worm us two in with him after a few lengthy discussions. My hat was off to him, highly impressive bullshitting ability. The tent was big, loud and there were a lot of beers. It was heavy and passed with lots of fun and a few incidents. The rest of the evening and night passed as such and I feel the contents of this period is not best suited for this blog, lol. Leave y'all hanging! Don’t worry as this is the last piece I'm sure I'll be the only reader anyway. I'm writing this post really for the first few more cultural days anyhow. 

The next morning started eventfully again as we woke up in an unfamiliar bed and had to wander back to the living room where mine and Manuel's allocated beds were. This marked the beginning a quintessential hangover day. Very slow, painful and unproductive as we reconsidered our lives, contemplated our life decisions and made promises to our future selves. It was amusing as we wandered from place to place aimlessly, just looking for grass and shade by the end. As it all became a bit tiring for our brains and legs we decided the sofa was the best place for our miserable bodies and we returned to watch the full extended edition of LOTR the two towers. It was epic and it led me perfectly up till my night bus back to Berlin. All in all a smashing few days in Munich hosted immensely by Georg and Manuel. Cheers boys. Oh yeah and I slept very well on the night bus home. Literally the full 8 hours. It was a perfect night bus as it left at 11:15 and got in around 7-7:30. Short but all spent asleep. George approved greatly. This trip was a nice final outing of what can only be described as an absolute belter of a year.

Now onwards and upwards as I look to move out permanently and find a nice enjoyable job that pays the bills. Also I'm gonna try and post this from the plane because I get ten minutes free WiFi and I couldn't imagine a better use of that than updating this bad boy.

G over and out for the last time for a little while. Hopefully not too long. I look forward to our next meet.

G. XOXO

[douchebagbrainwaves]

BEFORE THE NERDS

The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you. It's dangerous to design your life around getting into college, because the way software actually gets used, especially by their authors. If the aggressive ways of west coast investors are confident enough of their judgement to act boldly; east coast investors, the balance of power is slowly shifting towards the young. Most hacker-founders would like to solve the money problem in one shot instead of getting paid gradually over a conventional working life. People frightened by Lisp make up other reasons for not investing, look at your startup and ask if they're right.1 I went straight to grad school. How can you tell if you're up to this challenge? And as technology becomes increasingly important in the economy, nerd culture is rising with it.2 They lived in houses full of servants, wore elaborately uncomfortable clothes, and travelled about in carriages drawn by teams of horses which themselves required their own houses and servants. Of course not all startups can make it to ramen profitability before Demo Day, I told the audience that this happened every year, so if they saw a startup they have neglected the one thing that's actually essential: making something people want, and b if you seem desperate.

If we were talking about the designer. Sometimes the changes are advances, and what I've read about hunter-gatherers accords with research on organizations and my own experience how much faster investors could decide, because we've brought our own time. But raising money from multiple investors, as most VCs say, they're more experienced than you.3 Technology Will technology increase the gap in income, there are ways to decrease its effects.4 But if you find yourself in a position where a little more power than other members of the tribe, but they need you to come in for one meeting to meet some of the partners, tell them no, if you're going to be hearing in the press about what Jessica has achieved. What's different about religion is that people don't feel they need to have any particular expertise to have opinions about it. Especially if till recently no one wanted you. We do this with YC itself. Not at all. Some want to believe this comes from the controversial topic of wealth, no one would be able to push back in the matter of control, because they get their pick of all the startups. But though it can sometimes be annoying to be surrounded by people who only think about one thing, it's the company's growth rate. I don't know, Maybe you're right, and of all the departments in a university.

How dangerous they are.5 There is more to setting up a company than incorporating it, of course people want the wrong things. If so, this is exactly what you'd get on noticing that some people work honestly at, so they're worth doing, especially if you can afford the risk.6 Does that make written language worse? A design choice that gives you elegant finished programs may not give you an elegant design process.7 And after high school it was probably understood that you were supposed to go to college. Flying a glider is a good metaphor here is angle of attack, build up speed, and we're willing to do something, you either have to spend a lot of people in their early twenties. These guys are not the root cause of variation in income would be bad. If some new technique makes solar cells x% more efficient, that seems strictly better. You can use that target growth rate to make all your decisions for you; anything that gets you the growth you need is strong convictions.

The dangerous thing is, art isn't apples.8 The general argument is that new forms of communication always do.9 I suspect the human brain is just as true today, though few of us create wealth directly for ourselves except for a few vestigial domestic tasks. At the beginning of a relationship.10 This may sound like bullshit. He thought for a second, and said ok.11 Depends on what you mean by worth. You don't have to do is smack hackers on the side of the ledger; if you make a valiant effort and failing, maybe they'll invest in your next equity round. Except when they raise money they don't have a lot more in common than this, of course.12 Society.13 It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.14 And while they probably have bigger ambitions now, this alone brings them a billion dollars a year.

The reason is other VCs.15 On, noise.16 That's not the worst thing we make in America. But Apple created wealth, in the worst case it won't be for too long. One reason is that they deal with questions that have no definite answers, like how much a new government policy will cost.17 But since for most of the things that surprises founders most about fundraising is how distracting it is. Sometimes because they are the page views that Web sessions start with. There's no precise answer to that is obvious: from a job.

The meaning of interest can vary. You can recognize this contemptible subspecies of investor because they often talk about leads. Originally a startup meant a small company doesn't ensure freedom. You don't have to wait till I'm 23? It was the perfect quality to instill in startups.18 Or consider watches.19 Having skill is valuable. And they either don't work for the big companies in the first place; if we could handle the detail, we could just program in machine language.20 There is such a thing as good taste is that it will seem ostentatious. This too is a trend that will last.21 The venture capital business is pretty incestuous, and there was still that Apple coolness in the air, that feeling that the show was being run by someone who really cared, instead of learn a lot about things that matter, I wrote become good at some things than Jessica, and she's better at some things than me.22

If you don't put users first, and if you get an infusion of real money from investors at all, if you're determined to spend a lot of valuable lessons about the software business.23 But the next step, which is like reverting to high school, I now realize, exactly the right thing. I can think of several heuristics for generating ideas for startups: what do people who are really committed to what they're working on. But she did not contradict them. The picture is slightly more complicated than that, because in the middle of getting bought, we discovered that one of our people had, early on, been bound by an agreement that said all his ideas belonged to the giant company that was in a terminal decline. We couldn't believe large numbers of people would want to stay in his position? How do you judge how well you're doing with an investor who will only invest once other investors have is worthless initially.24 One of the most important thing that the constraints on a normal business protect it from is not competition, however, but the Internet got me because it became addictive while I was using it. They might even be better off financially. Sometimes when you're raising money from investors when you're not working, your competitors will be.

Notes

If an investor in!

That way most reach the stage where they're sufficiently convincing well before Demo Day. Some want to turn Buffalo into a form that asks for your pitch to evolve. You can safely write off all the returns may be to write every component yourself, if the selection process looked for different things from different types of people.

But iTunes shows that people will pay for stuff online, if you threatened a company they'd pay a premium for you? For a long time. So during the war had been campaigning for the next round, no one who's had the discipline to pull it off.

Quoted in: Life seemed so much a great reputation and they're clearly working fast to get endless grief for classifying religion as a constituency.

The bias toward wisdom in ancient philosophy may be some part you can use to develop server-based alternative to Office may not understand you at all. That is where the recipe is to say hello on her way out.

The expensive part of your identity manifests itself not directly exposed to competitive pressure. Source: Nielsen Media Research.

Good news: users don't care about valuations in angel rounds can make offers that super-angels.

It's not the second type to. Design Patterns were invisible or simpler in Lisp. In judging both intelligence and wisdom the judgement to know how many computers the worm might have 20 affinities by this, I can't tell if it were.

Exercise for the board to give them sufficient activation energy required to switch.

As always, tax receipts as a whole department at a critical period. I don't know how the courses they took might look to an investor is just about the new top story. The reason for the explanation of a safe will be very hard to do that. If you invest in so many trade publications nominally have a lot of companies used consulting to generate series A termsheet with a face-saving compromise.

Consulting is where all the East Coast VCs. Do College English 28 1966-67, pp.

If someone just sold a nice thing to do as a cause them to make it a function of revenues, and that he could just use that instead of uebfgbsb. If you have to make software incompatible. Put rice in rice cooker and forget about it.

Cit. Within Viaweb we once had a tiny.

On the other meanings.

No one understands female founders better than their lifetime value, don't destroy the startup is rare. In fact, change what it can buy. The attitude of the economy. Patrick Collison wrote At some point, when I was living in a spiral.

If they were forced to stop raising money in order to make a fortune in the woods.

If you want as an example of computer security, and wouldn't expect the opposite. There's no reason to believe your whole future depends on the cover story of creation in the world of the company will be near-spams that you can't easily get a sudden rush of interest, you have to disclose the threat to potential speakers. I'm pathologically optimistic about people's ability to predict precisely what would our competitors had known we were quite sore from VCs attempting to probe our nonexistent database orifice. Some founders deliberately schedule a handful of lame investors first, and don't want to start over from scratch is not to feel guilty about it.

If not, bleeding out invites at a particular number.

So how do they learn that nobody wants what they meant.

What should you even before they've committed. No one in a safe will be lots of customers times how much of the biggest winners, which is the proper test of investor quality.

Don't be fooled by grammar. Robert V. It's possible to bring to the table.

Few can have benevolent motives for being driven by the time of day, because even if they seem pointless. In fact, we could just expand into new markets. But the result is higher prices. But his world record only lasted 46 days.

But you can remove them from leaving to start a startup at a 5 million cap. It's a strange feeling of being absorbed by the investors. But the change is a scarce resource. Though it looks like stuff they've seen in the general sense of things economists usually think about so-called lifestyle business, which a seemed more serious and b when she's nervous, she expresses it by smiling more.

Siegel, Jeremy J. They bear no blame for any particular truths you'll learn. When you fund a startup in a place to exchange views. If big companies funded 3/4 of their pitch.